The present disclosure relates generally to speech signal processing and more particularly to conferencing on portable multifunction devices.
Teleconferencing is an essential and indispensable part of today's communication. It is a very cost effective alternative to face-to-face meetings and allows for bringing people together regardless of locations to exchange ideas in real time and in an interactive manner. A teleconference refers to a live exchange and mass articulation of information among two or more people who are remote from one another, but linked by a telecommunication system. Various telecommunication systems may be used for teleconferencing. Examples include, but are not limited to, telephone systems, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, and other like systems. Teleconferencing may include video conferencing, audio streaming, and other types of interactive exchanges that include an audio component.
In a typical teleconference, a party may have voice interactions with one or more other parties via a conference hub device including a speakerphone or microphone. For the sake of discussion, in the context of this disclosure, the terms “speakerphone” and “microphone” can be used interchangeably. A party in the teleconference may be a single participant or a group of participants gathered in the same location. For a relatively small teleconference, when there are multiple participants in a party, these participants may get closer to the speakerphone to make their voice clear. In a large teleconference, multiple speakerphones may be arranged according to the locations of the participants. Or, alternatively, a person(s) may be assigned to deliver the speakerphone to different speakers. The similar problem exists in a conventional conference where a speaker needs a microphone to make a speech.